42RH / A-500 in a Duster with pictures.

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gdonovan said:
Define "early a-body"

67-76 should be the same, pre-67 no idea.
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65 with a 904. I imagine it cannot be too different as I can bolt up a different years 904 as long as I change from cable shift. If anyone here knows feel free to shout it out.
 
salinasjoel said:
65 with a 904. I imagine it cannot be too different as I can bolt up a different years 904 as long as I change from cable shift. If anyone here knows feel free to shout it out.
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I would not assume on that. The 904 case is all pretty much the same size. 727 would be tight on my 74 and they came with them from the factory. You may have to do more floorpan banging to fit a later trans in.

Just plan for it and if not your ahead.
 
gdonovan said:
I would not assume on that. The 904 case is all pretty much the same size. 727 would be tight on my 74 and they came with them from the factory. You may have to do more floorpan banging to fit a later trans in.

Just plan for it and if not your ahead.
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I plan on doing this when I am doing body work anyway so I am certain it won't go to plan. My next question is will this trans with the stock converter bolt right up to a 69 318?
 
If it helps I have photos of a big block A-518 install I did on mine. Very similar to this install except for the reinforcement where the original torsion bar crossmember gets cut out I used 3 inch by 1/2' thick steel and put it inside the car on top of the trans tunnel then welded it 100% My trans crossmember is similar to this but I used a piece of four inch C channel for the trans mount pad. Its a lot of work but the end result is very good. Click on my photo link over to the left of this reply.
 
salinasjoel said:
I plan on doing this when I am doing body work anyway so I am certain it won't go to plan. My next question is will this trans with the stock converter bolt right up to a 69 318?
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Just use the magnum 5.2 flexplate.
 
Doosterfy said:
If it helps I have photos of a big block A-518 install I did on mine. Very similar to this install except for the reinforcement where the original torsion bar crossmember gets cut out I used 3 inch by 1/2' thick steel and put it inside the car on top of the trans tunnel then welded it 100% My trans crossmember is similar to this but I used a piece of four inch C channel for the trans mount pad. Its a lot of work but the end result is very good. Click on my photo link over to the left of this reply.
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Thanks!!! For the excellent photos
 
I'm thinking long and hard about doing a OD swap in.

My dilemma:
Right now I have an A999 that is only a year old on a rebuild with the works: kolene, red eagle components, Cheetah valve body and non lockup conversion. With a Hughes converter. This has been a very good trans, but I think I've been too spoiled by OD trucks/cars cruising at 70 mph and while spinning only around 1900-2200 rpm's
Of course I could sell the A999 once I get a good A500.

I also have a good buddy of mine (a GM fanatic but that's ok he's got good beer so it equals out) who is selling a rebuilt 700R4 for $700. I priced a Wilcap 360 to GM conversion set for $710.

So for over $1900 (+500 for other mods to fit this) I can get a setup for an GM overdrive.

Something tells me if I'm frugal enough I can do an A500 for cheaper. I did a 60% rebuild (the shop did the rest) on my A999 and did the conversion to non-LU myself.
Sooo, do I dare try to rebuild the A500? It should be similar but that OD unit seems intimidating as I've never even touched an A500 or A518.

A rebuild kit for the A500 (with premium clutches, bands and kolene steels) is around $700-$800+ a set. A shop quoted me $1300 to rebuild an A500.
A junkyard trans is $145.
 
Tantibus-74 said:
A rebuild kit for the A500 (with premium clutches, bands and kolene steels) is around $700-$800+ a set. A shop quoted me $1300 to rebuild an A500.
A junkyard trans is $145.
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I've never fully rebuilt a 904 or 727, either, but with all the "dope" around the www, the ATSG manuals, and shop manual, I'm sure gonna give it a heck of a try!!!
 
Tantibus-74 said:
I'm thinking long and hard about doing a OD swap in.

My dilemma:
Right now I have an A999 that is only a year old on a rebuild with the works: kolene, red eagle components, Cheetah valve body and non lockup conversion. With a Hughes converter. This has been a very good trans, but I think I've been too spoiled by OD trucks/cars cruising at 70 mph and while spinning only around 1900-2200 rpm's
Of course I could sell the A999 once I get a good A500.

I also have a good buddy of mine (a GM fanatic but that's ok he's got good beer so it equals out) who is selling a rebuilt 700R4 for $700. I priced a Wilcap 360 to GM conversion set for $710.

So for over $1900 (+500 for other mods to fit this) I can get a setup for an GM overdrive.

Something tells me if I'm frugal enough I can do an A500 for cheaper. I did a 60% rebuild (the shop did the rest) on my A999 and did the conversion to non-LU myself.
Sooo, do I dare try to rebuild the A500? It should be similar but that OD unit seems intimidating as I've never even touched an A500 or A518.

A rebuild kit for the A500 (with premium clutches, bands and kolene steels) is around $700-$800+ a set. A shop quoted me $1300 to rebuild an A500.
A junkyard trans is $145.
Click to expand...
I believe the Mopar A-500 is a better transmission than the GM TH700R4. The problem with the 700 is the OD clutches and gear is not very rugged and is only meant for part throttle low load cruising. In fact the 700 will not go into or stay in OD under heavy throttle. The OD units on the Mopar 500 and 518 are much beefier than the GM 700. The only good reason to use a 700 instead of the 500 would be to avoid the heavy rework of the torsion bar and trans crossmembers. Also $700 plus for an adapter kit is a big chunk of money that could be spent buying good parts for the 500. One more big advantage to using the 500 over the 700 is if you're planning on keeping the factory column shifter and linkage and/or kickdown linkage it will hook up to the 500 exactly like it does to your 999. Same thing with the cooler lines, they're the same as your 999.
 
anyone got pictures of the rear trans mount mod? I having a hard time understanding how you modified it
 
I have rear trans mount pics (modifications) for the 2004R behind a 318 in a '69 Barracuda. My TCI adapter was very inexpensive. I think the whole conversion only cost about $1700.00. My whole conversion is on this FABO site.

Treblig
 
anyone have a part number for a hobbs pressure switch that's adjustable 30 to 60 psi.
 
Just go to Ebay and search for "hobbs pressure switch"
 
If you use a nitrous fuel safety cut off switch some adjust between 30 and 70lbs/mph.
I have my A500 set up to use the governor pressure port to activate the solenoids at set speeds for OD and lockup.
The OD comes on fully automatically at 55 and lockup at 65 with these switches, and I ran the line up the back of the trans and bolted the switches on a bracket to the rear of the intake so I can get to them easily from under the hood for speed adjustments.

I did install manual switches on my shifter base to override OD and/or lockup if I prefer. (for heavy throttle applications) :D
The trans is designed where OD will only come on after the trans is already in third, so for example if I have OD turned off manually the lockup function will still activate at my set speed (65) but the trans would still be in third instead of OD.
This would make it shift 1-2-3-lockup@65.
If lockup is manually disabled it shifts 1-2-3-OD@55 only (no lockup)
With both switches in the "Auto" position it shifts 1-2-3-OD@55-lockup@65
With both switches in the off position it shifts 1-2-3 like a 904, but with the low 1st gear ratio of the A500.

This also requires the 80 inch speedo cable, so be ready for that. :D
Oh, and A500 cooler lines are 3/8 instead of 5/16 like the 904/727 but the fittings on the case can be changed if needed.
What I did was change the cooler lines to 3/8, as well as the fittings on the radiator and found them easily at Ace Hardware.

ShifterArt.jpg
 
TrailBeast said:
If you use a nitrous fuel safety cut off switch some adjust between 30 and 70lbs/mph.
I have my A500 set up to use the governor pressure port to activate the solenoids at set speeds for OD and lockup.
The OD comes on fully automatically at 55 and lockup at 65 with these switches, and I ran the line up the back of the trans and bolted the switches on a bracket to the rear of the intake so I can get to them easily from under the hood for speed adjustments.

I did install manual switches on my shifter base to override OD and/or lockup if I prefer. (for heavy throttle applications) :D
The trans is designed where OD will only come on after the trans is already in third, so for example if I have OD turned off manually the lockup function will still activate at my set speed (65) but the trans would still be in third instead of OD.
This would make it shift 1-2-3-lockup@65.
If lockup is manually disabled it shifts 1-2-3-OD@55 only (no lockup)
With both switches in the "Auto" position it shifts 1-2-3-OD@55-lockup@65
With both switches in the off position it shifts 1-2-3 like a 904, but with the low 1st gear ratio of the A500.

This also requires the 80 inch speedo cable, so be ready for that. :D
Oh, and A500 cooler lines are 3/8 instead of 5/16 like the 904/727 but the fittings on the case can be changed if needed.
What I did was change the cooler lines to 3/8, as well as the fittings on the radiator and found them easily at Ace Hardware.

View attachment 1714978602
Click to expand...
 
does anybody know where I can get the wiring harness connector to go from the cars wiring to plug into the 3 prong switch on the transmission?
 
w2 stroker said:
does anybody know where I can get the wiring harness connector to go from the cars wiring to plug into the 3 prong switch on the transmission?
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I got mine at the wrecking yard.
Don't see them available online anywhere.
 
Is it possible to convert the A500 to non-lockup? I have a spare good non LU 904 lying around in the garage. Just convert the input shaft, pump and get a non-LU valve body and the use a non-LU Torque converter and be good to go?
I think it is possible after looking at exploded diagrams of the A500.
I did a non-LU conversion of the A999 which wasn't too bad.
 
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